US-12620301-B2 - Apparatus for checking a child in vehicle and a method thereof

US12620301B2US 12620301 B2US12620301 B2US 12620301B2US-12620301-B2

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a child checking apparatus and a method therefor. A child checking apparatus includes a processor configured to transmit an authentication response message corresponding to an authentication request message if the authentication request message is received from a switch device after a vehicle is turned off and to determine whether the switch device operates within a predetermined time period to issue a warning. The child checking apparatus also includes a storage configured to store data driven by the processor, an algorithm, and a PIN code for encryption.

Inventors

Seong Jin Moon

Assignees

HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
KIA CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230807
Priority Date: 20230213

Claims (19)

1 . A child checking apparatus comprising: a processor configured to receive, from a switch device, an authentication request message including a first Personal Identification Number (PIN) code after a vehicle key is turned off, transmit an authentication response message corresponding to the authentication request message based on the first PIN code and a second PIN code, and determine whether the switch device operates within a predetermined time period to issue a warning; and a storage configured to store data driven by the processor, an algorithm, and the second PIN code for encryption, wherein the second PIN code is matched one-to-one with a vehicle identification number of a vehicle, and wherein the second PIN code is input to the storage when the vehicle is manufactured.
2 . The child checking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a communication device configured to communicate with the switch device to transmit and receive a message for checking for a sleeping child in the vehicle.
3 . The child checking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: enter a warning mode; and start a timer count after the vehicle key is turned off.
4 . The child checking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare the first PIN code included in the authentication request message with the second PIN code, wherein the second PIN code is stored in the storage.
5 . The child checking apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a visual warning or an audible warning based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code do not match.
6 . The child checking apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a lamp lighting command signal to the switch device based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code match.
7 . The child checking apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the authentication response message corresponding to the authentication request message based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code match.
8 . The child checking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate and encrypt random data and a predetermined constant in the authentication request message, wherein the authentication response message includes the encrypted random data.
9 . The child checking apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate and encrypt the second PIN code with the encrypted random data.
10 . The child checking apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the authentication request message and the authentication response message are made of 8 bytes, and wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate and encrypt 1 to 4 bytes of data of the authentication request message and a predetermined constant; and store encrypted data in positions of 1 to 4 bytes of the authentication response message.
11 . The child checking apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate and encrypt data of 5 to 8 bytes of the authentication request message and 1 to 4 bytes of the authentication response message; and store the encrypted data in positions of 5 to 8 bytes of the authentication response message.
12 . The child checking apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second PIN code is the same as the first PIN code.
13 . The child checking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether the switch device is pressed within a predetermined time period upon receiving switch pressing information from the switch device; release a warning mode based on a determination that the switch device is pressed within the predetermined time period; and perform a visual warning or an audible warning based on a determination that the switch device is not pressed within the predetermined time period.
14 . A child checking apparatus comprising: a processor configured to transmit, to a vehicle control device, an authentication request message after a vehicle key is turned off, receive, from the vehicle control device, an authentication response message, and determine whether to transmit switch information to the vehicle control device by using the authentication response message; and a storage configured to store data driven by the processor, an algorithm, and a PIN code for encryption, wherein the authentication request message includes random data and the PIN code which is encrypted, wherein the PIN code is matched one-to-one with a vehicle identification number of a vehicle, and wherein the PIN code is input to the storage when the vehicle is manufactured.
15 . The child checking apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a communication device configured to: communicate with the vehicle control device to transmit; and receive a message for checking for a sleeping child in the vehicle.
16 . The child checking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to: compare a first PIN code of the authentication response message with a second PIN code stored in the storage in receiving the authentication response message; transmit switch information based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code match; and transmit no switch information based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code do not match, wherein the PIN code includes the first PIN code and the second PIN code.
17 . The child checking apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to: light a lamp of a switch device based on a determination that the first PIN code and the second PIN code match; and receive a lamp lighting command signal from the vehicle control device.
18 . The child checking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to: convert the second PIN code matching a vehicle identification number into a hexadecimal value; and calculate the second PIN code with the random data to encrypt the second PIN code.
19 . A child checking method comprising: receiving, by a processor, an authentication request message including a first Personal Identification Number (PIN) code from a switch device after a vehicle key is turned off; transmitting, by the processor, an authentication response message corresponding to the authentication request message based on the first PIN code and a second PIN code; determining, by the processor, whether the switch device operates within a predetermined time period; and performing, by the processor, a warning according to a determination result thereof, wherein the second PIN code is matched one-to-one with a vehicle identification number of a vehicle, and wherein the second PIN code is input to a storage when the vehicle is manufactured.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0018796 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Feb. 13, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND (a) Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a child checking apparatus and a method therefor, and more particularly, to a technique for preventing illegal modification of a child checking apparatus. (b) Description of the Related Art Various devices for children are being developed and used to prevent crimes against children or missing children. Particularly, as problems such as accidents occurring due to neglect of a sleeping child in a vehicle have occurred one after another, recently, some countries laws have required the installation of a device for checking for a sleeping child in a vehicle. The device for checking for the sleeping child uses a method in which a driver must press a switch (confirmation button) installed in a rearmost row of the vehicle to confirm whether the child is getting out of the vehicle within 3 minutes after stopping the vehicle and turning off the engine. If the button is not pressed, a warning sound is generated or output and an indicator light or an emergency flashing light is displayed. However, there are frequent cases in which users illegally modify the switch of the device that checks for the sleeping child and change the switch installed in a rear row to an arbitrary switch in the front, thereby reducing the effect. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only to enhance understanding of the background of the disclosure. Therefore, the Background section may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. SUMMARY Embodiment have been described in an effort to provide a child checking apparatus and a method therefor that are capable of fundamentally preventing illegal modification of the child checking apparatus by changing a switch device of the child checking device to communication-type software and preventing abuse by applying a seed key encryption algorithm. The technical objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the objects mentioned above. Other technical objects not mentioned should be more clearly understood by those having ordinary skill in the art from the description of the claims. An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a child checking apparatus including a processor configured to transmit an authentication response message corresponding to an authentication request message if the authentication request message is received from a switch device after a vehicle is turned off. The processor is also configured to determine whether the switch device operates within a predetermined time period to issue a warning. The present disclosure also provides a storage configured to store data driven by the processor, an algorithm, and a PIN code for encryption. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the child checking apparatus may further include a communication device configured to communicate with the switch device to transmit and receive a message for checking for a sleeping child in a vehicle. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to enter a warning mode and to start a timer count after the vehicle key is turned off. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to compare a PIN code included in the authentication request message with the PIN code stored in the storage. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to perform a visual warning or an audible warning if the PIN code included in the authentication request message and the PIN code stored in the storage unit do not match. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to transmit a lamp lighting command signal to the switch device if the PIN code included in the authentication request message and the PIN code stored in the storage match. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to generate the authentication response message corresponding to the authentication request message if the PIN code included in the authentication request message and the PIN code stored in the storage match. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to calculate and encrypt random data and a predetermined constant in the authentication request message and to store the encrypted random data in the authentication response message. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to calculate and encrypt the PIN code and the encrypted random data in the authentication request message and to store encrypted calculated data in the authentication response message. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the proc